Fay vs. Berry Street: How do the online dietitian services compare?

Key Points:

• Both Fay and Berry Street match users with dietitians who accept health insurance and specialize in their area of concern.
• Fay enables users to browse providers to find the right fit or use its matching system, ensuring a great fit.
• Berry Street matches users to RDs using its own matching system and focuses on medical nutrition.

When it comes to nutritional care, you want to be sure you’re working with a true professional who has the education and expertise you need to meet your health goals and achieve lasting results. In a world of cookie-cutter meal plans and self-proclaimed “experts,” this can feel almost impossible to find.

True experts are out there. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are the most qualified nutrition providers available. You just need the right platform to find them.

Fay and Berry Street are two leading online nutrition counseling platforms that connect users with registered dietitians for personal nutrition services. Both platforms accept health insurance to get your care covered. Read on to learn more about each platform and what makes each stand out to support your nutrition and health goals.

Fay vs. Berry Street at a glance

What is Fay?

Fay provides access to tailored nutrition care through an extensive nationwide network of board-certified dietitians, offering both virtual and face-to-face services. Fay connects you with a specialist who understands your specific health goals, ensuring a personalized roadmap to better health.

Every provider in the network is a highly vetted Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), guaranteeing that you receive expert-level, evidence-based guidance. Fay is accessible in all 50 states and partners with major insurance carriers, including:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• United Healthcare
• Aetna
• Cigna
• Anthem
• Humana
• Select Health
• …and many others

How it works:

1. Find your expert: Enter your insurance details and health interests to view a curated list of specialists who accept your plan and fit your needs.
2. Get your price: Receive an immediate out-of-pocket cost estimate, which Fay verifies directly with your insurer.
3. Meet your provider: Join your session from the comfort of your home or meet with your dietitian in person.
4. Don’t worry about payment: Fay manages the entire claims process. It bills your insurance company directly, allowing you to focus entirely on your wellness journey without the paperwork.

What is Berry Street?

Berry Street is a virtual nutrition counseling service that pairs users with a dietitian to meet their health goals. It emphasizes matching users with providers who focus on their area of concern and billing to insurance for the services.

Berry Street providers are all RDNs or Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNS).

Berry Streets accepts most insurance plans, including:

• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Emblem Health
• AmeriHealth
• United Healthcare

How it works:

1. Match with a dietitian through Berry Street’s matching system.
2. Meet virtually for nutrition therapy.
3. Get your services covered by insurance.

Compare Fay vs. Berry Street benefits

Fay and Berry Street both offer a network of board-certified dietitians who accept health insurance, but how they each work to match you with a qualified provider varies. Learn more about each platform to see which is right for your health goals.

Expertise

Fay

Fay offers precise filtering options to find a dietitian who specializes in your area of concern and works with your insurance. You can search by state, insurance, specialty, gender, diet, identity, language, cuisine, modality, and modality, ensuring you find just the right fit for your needs. Dietitians’ specialties include:

• Weight loss
• Diabetes management
• Eating disorder recovery
• Intuitive eating
• Gut health, including FODMAP and elimination diets

Berry Street

Berry Street takes all users through a questionnaire in order to match them with a dietitian who corresponds with their interests. Not offering the ability to browse dietitians and filter as desired can feel a bit restrictive when searching for a provider.

Insurance coverage

Fay

Fay accepts 700+ insurance plans across all 50 states, including all major insurance providers.

If your insurance plan requires pre-authorization, you can ask your dietitian if they can handle this for you so you don’t have to worry.

Berry Street

Berry Street works with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare, and more.

Provider network

Fay

Fay boasts a network of 4,000+ specialized dietitians. It has a rigorous four-step vetting process to confirm all providers aren’t just qualified, but also that they have a compassionate approach and a proven track record. Fay also measures and monitors providers’ ongoing outcomes to ensure consistent excellence.

Dietitians who work with Fay operate independently and own their own practice. This means they can work exactly how they want to. Every provider is a board-certified Registered Dietitian Nutrition, the highest level of qualification you can have as a nutrition professional.

Berry Street

Berry Street works with both RDs and Certified Nutritionist Specialists (CNSs).

Cost

Fay

Fay clients pay as little as $0 per session with insurance.

Fay offers a pricing estimation tool that uses your insurance information to get the most accurate estimate possible:

1. Fay verifies the validity of your insurance and the eligibility and coverage with your insurer;
2. Available cost-sharing details (such as copays or deductibles) are reviewed;
3. Fay generates the most accurate estimate possible based on returned data.

Pricing depends on several factors, including your specific insurance plan, deductibles status, how the insurer applies copays, and more.

Berry Street

Most Berry Street users pay $0 out of pocket. It offers a “no-surprises” billing promise for all clients so you never receive an unexpected bill. If your insurance isn’t covered, the out-of-pocket rate is $100 per hour.

Availability

Fay

With Fay, all RDs work virtually and many work in person as well. You can filter search results based on your preference.

When browsing dietitians, you can see every provider’s availability on their profile, so you know exactly who’s available and when. This makes it easy to compare two providers’ specialties, ratings, and availability. You can either book directly through each profile from the search result page, or go through Fay’s matching service to find a provider who matches your needs..

Berry Street

Berry Street dietitians only work online. Berry Street matches you with a dietitian who matches your criteria rather than letting you guide the experience yourself. You can’t browse through options to compare or filter for yourself, which can feel limiting.

App

Fay

Fay offers a robust mobile app that keeps you connected to your dietitian between appointments and helps you stay on track with your goals. The chat function is open 24/7, enabling easy communication between you and your RD. The app encourages steady progress with daily to-dos, which you can customize yourself based on your goals, or your RD can help set.

There is also a journal function, where you can log meals (including photos), track symptoms, and share your latest wins and concerns.

Berry Street

Berry Street offers an app to stay in touch with your provider between sessions. The RD or CNS can send feedback and resources to support your journey. You can also ask any questions you might have between sessions.

How to choose the right nutrition service provider

Finding the right dietitian for your needs is a very personal process. You have to balance finding someone with the right skills who’s also a good personality fit. When comparing options, these factors can help inform your decision:

1. Cost and insurance: Coverage will vary by insurance provider and plan, and your final price often isn’t 100% confirmed until after your first appointment. Input your insurance information to see if you’re covered and what your estimated cost will be.
2. Specialty: While dietitians receive a well-rounded education, many choose to specialize in a particular area, so you’ll want to find someone who focuses in your area of concern. Look for nutrition services that allow you to filter by specialty or need to find the right dietitian for you.
3. Availability and scheduling: Some RDs only work online while others also offer in-person services. Consider what kind of support you want and when you want to meet, whether it’s during the day, in the evenings, or on the weekends.
4. Additional benefits: Working with a dietitian is more than just meeting once a week. Support between check-ins is vital for lasting success, so look for platforms that offer mobile app support, helpful resources, and robust features like meal tracking.

Ultimately, the right platform is one that pairs you with a dietitian who specializes in your needs, prioritizes thoughtful and personalized support, and accepts your insurance.

Final thoughts

Both Fay and Berry Street offer high-quality nutrition services with comprehensive insurance coverage. For those who want to be matched with a provider and are more focused on medical nutrition, Berry Street is a good option. If you value browsing providers for yourself and want the flexibility of meeting either online or in person, Fay is the clear winner.

The right choice will depend on your insurance coverage and individual priorities. What’s most important is you find the proper support to meet your goals and become your healthiest self.

Start your nutrition journey today.

The views expressed by authors and contributors of such content are not endorsed or approved by Fay and are intended for informational purposes only. The content is reviewed by Fay only to confirm educational value and audience interest. You are encouraged to discuss any questions that you may have about your health with a healthcare provider.